Car retarder



, March 7, 1950 G. c. BELTMAN CAR RETARDER Filed Dec. 8 1945Sehens-sheet 1 N /NVE/vTo/Q I GE'OPGE' c. BELT/WAN Q 5%, v jf-a6 Y March7 1950 G. c. yBl-:LTMAN 2,499,812

' CAR RETARDER Filed DeG. 8, 1945 5 SheetsSheet /M/ENTOR GEO/Q65 C.BELT/WAN March 7, 1950 G. c. BELTMAN 2,499,812

CAR RETARDER Filed Dec. 8. 1945 5 sheets-sheet 4 /N VEN TOR GEORGE C.BELT/WAN BY/w,

March 7, 1950 G. c. BELTMAN 2,499,812

CAR RETARDER Filed Dec. 8, .1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 /NVENTOR G50/Q65 C'.en-MAN Patented Mar. 7, 1950 CAR RETARDER George C. Beltman, Chicago,Ill., assigner to Caine Steel Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation ofIllinois Application December 8, 1945, Serial No. 633.690

(Cl. 18S-62) 22 Claims.

My invention relates to the operation and construction of railroadclassification yards and includes among its objects and advantages areduction in personnel and particularly personnel required to performacts involving risk of physical injury; together with a reduction in theamount and cost of equipment.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagram of part of a classication yard especiallyconstructed for the purpose of the invention;

Figure 2 is a diagram indicating the levels and slopes of the tracks ofthe diagram of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged diagram of a portion of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a plan view of a car retarder.

Figure 5 is a vertical section on line 5-5 of Figure 4, indicating thedetails of construction of one of the pressure linkages.

Figure 6 is an end elevation as on the line 6--6 of Figure 4;

Figure '7 is a somewhat enlarged side elevation of one of the individualfriction elements of Figure 4;

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail as in section on line 8 8 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is an enlarged detail as on line 9-8 of Figure 7;

Figure 10 is a plan view of the pivot arm of Figure 8;

Figure 11 is a detail section as on line II-II of Figure 7; j

Figure 12 is a section similar to Figure 11, indicating the conditionobtaining when the wheel is abreast of one of the springs.

Referring first to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the hump I8 delivers cars to theaccelerating incline I2 from which they pass along a ladder track I4also inclined downward a little to its end point I8. Switches along theladder track distribute the cars to storage tracks I6, fromWhichassembled trains can be withdrawn on outlet ladder tracks 3|.inclination, but are at different elevations corresponding to theslopeof the ladder vtrack I4, as indicated at IIia in Figure 2. y

At the inlet end of each storagev track I have indicated retarder units22, 24, 28 and 32. The

The tracks I6 all have the samel units 22 and 24 may be adjustedtogether from t an operating station at 20. Similarly, the units 28 and32 may be adjusted from stations at 26 and 30.

adjustment.

The absorbing unit The absorbing units 22, 24, 28 and 32 may all beidentical except as toloa'd capacity. As illustrated in Figures 4A tol2, inclusive, each unit' comprises four duplicate friction shoes 34 ar-All the retarders maybe of the same identical type illustrated in Figure4, but those.

46 of an outer rocker 48 lying outside the rail 36. It also has asimilar socket to receive the pivot 58 of the rocker 52 positionedinside the rail. As best indicated in Figure 7 each shoe 34 is securelybolted to the T-shaped face plate 54 of each of its associated rockers.The outer rocker 48 is apertured at 56 to receive the tension bolt 58and the walls of the aperture are notched as best indicated at 60 inFigure 5 to provide a horizontal fulcrum for the inner pressure cup 62,which receives the thrust of the spring 64 acting in compression betweenthe cup 62 and the outer pressure disc 66. The bolt 58 passes through asuitable aperture in the web of the rail 36, which aperture is largerthan the bolt to leave a clearance. The rocker 52 has an aperture 68 toreceive the bolt and a pressure plate I8 spaced from the rocker proper,which is also apertured. The bolt terminates in a head 'I2 guidedbetween arms 'I3 on the rocker 52 (see Fig. 10), and vertically boredfor pivotal connection with the bell-crank lever 14. The short arms ofthe bell-crank levers 14 are twin cams 'I6 which ride on the pressureplates 'I0 and force the heads 'I2 of the bolts axially in the directionto compress the springs 64. The long arms extend inwardly from oppositesides as clearly indicated in Figure 4 to connect with flexible tensionmembers 18. v

Suitable means are provided for actuating all the bell-cranks 14 inunison to build up the pressure of the springs 64. I have illustrated adraw bar extending throughout the length of the retarder and suitablyguided as by contact with a pair of supporting angles 82. The draw bar88 carries aseries of rigid cross pieces 84, one for each pair ofopposite pressure mechanisms.'

Suitable means are provided for operating the draw bar 80. I haveindicated a brake setting mechanism 86 of any suitable or well-knowntype operated by the hand wheel 88 through reduction gearing to take upon the chain 90, and

provided with a control lever 92 for disconnecting the parts t0 relievethe tension quickly. From the chain 88 the vflexible cable 94 may extenddownward around a sheave 96, across past r the center of the track andaround a second sheave 98, and finally around a third sheave |80 pivotedon a vertical axis, to connect at |02 with simple adjusting nut on theouter end oi' the bolt 58. In one successful device all the springsexcept the first one at the entering end of the retarder are adjusted togive a maximum compression of 8,000 pounds, corresponding tosubstantially 6,000 pounds at the working face of the shoe 34. The firstset of springs at the entering end is adjusted for maximumloads of abouthalf or two-thirds as much as the remaining springs for a purpose thatwill be explained hereinafter.

When there are no car Wheels between the shoes 34 the parts might berelatively loose and move into undesired positions especially by fallingover against the rail 3G. I .have indicated light positioning springs|08 encircling the bolt 58 on either side of the rail web and pushingagainst the shoes to hold them out in gentle contact with the cups 62and cams 16. These springs have a strength that is negligible comparedwith the main springs 64. In one success-- ful installation with themain spring 64 carrying a maximum load of 8,000 pounds, the springs |06will collapse into contact between the coils under a load of about 160pounds and the force they exert in the position of Figure may be abouthalf as great.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 7, 11 and 12, it will benoted that each shoe 34 operates as a unitary structure with its sevenrockers. Each 36 inch span between the rockers. which also are pressurepoints for the springs 64, carries the load of the springs in Iflexurewhenever a wheel is in a position such as that indicated at |08 inFigures 7 and 11. Thus, if the flexibility of the shoe is properlycomputed, the parts may be so designed that the conditions of operationFigures 11 and 12 will obtain. In Figure 11 the wheel |08 is in the sameposition asl in Figure 7, midway between pressure points indicated byarrows in Figure 11, and the shoe 34 is curved as indicated (withmaterial exaggeration in Figure 11 so that the operation is apparent).The shoes on both sides bear at the .edges of the wheel |08 at the fourpoints identified bv the reference character ||0 and the flexibility ofthe shoes 34.causes them to curve out between the bearing points asindicated by the reference character ||2 in Figure 1l. It will beapparent that this concentrates the effective friction load at thepoints where.

the almost vertical movement of the wheel por tions engaging the shoe isa maximum, and that even if therev is no actual observable clearance atthe point ||2 the effective frictional pressure per unit area will beeither zero or substantially negligible.

In Figure 12 I have illustrated the wheel |08 directly in line with oneof the pressure mechanisms but it will be apparent thatthe leverage ofthe other pressure mechanisms 36 inches away in either direction willpush the shoes 34 together as indicated at both ends of Figure 12,-

so that again the friction load will be concentrated at the points ||0.Even ii' the spring opposite the points ||2 in Figure 12 maintains someslight contact between the shoes and the wheel, it is possible to designthe shoes of such a degree of flexibility that the effective load at thepoints ||2 will still be a very minor friction of that at the points||0. Thus. throughout the travel of each individual wheel through theentire retarder. the retarder will do nearly all its rubbing at thepoints where it has the most effective grip for the purpose of absorbingmum energy from the wheel.. l

Tests in actual operation have evidenced that the device does operate asin Figures ll-and 12 and have also indicated a retarding effect which,compared with the load on the springsv I4, is of the order or magnitudeof twice as great as the retarding effect that can be obtained with thesame load and shoes that are rigid and do not flex, such as the shoes ofU. S. Patent 1,757,428, issued May 6, 1930 to W. K. Howe. For theloading of 6,000 pounds per pressure point and 36 inches betweenpressure points, a proper ratio between flexibility and strength can beobtained with such a cross section as is indicated in Figures 8 and 9where the upper thick portion of the shoe measures 2*/2 inches high by13/4 inches thick, and the lower flange is 21/2 inches high by 5/3inches thick. Such a cross section gives the desired flexibility and hassuillcient strength to carry the spring pressure with an ample margin ofsafety.

It is also of greater rigidity and strength in the vertical plane thanin the horizontal plane and strong enough to carry the full weight of acar which may happen to jump up into a position where the wheels ride,not on the rails 36 but with their treads rolling on top of the outershoes 34 and their iianges 4 still in eiective side engagement with theinner shoes 34 so that such a car is still guided in alignment with therails and will drop back onto the rails after it has rolled over theretarder. Upon reference to Figure 9 it will be noted that the innershoe 34 is positioned about a half inch higher than the outer shoeWhereas the flange |4 projects about an inch lower than the tread IIS.This is a desirable safety factor because, in casual hand operation. itdoes happen occasionally that a light, empty car comes along rather fastand the operator sets the retarder too tight and the car does actuallyhop up and ride along the top of the retarder instead of going throughit as it should. However, the likelihood of such an occurrence ismateria-ily reduced by having the rst set of springs adjusted for lowertension than the remaining sets. Thus by the time-the full load of thesecond set of springs is biting on the advancing wheels and tending tolift them, there is at least a half or 173 load making the shoes bite onthe rear and rising portion of the wheel and tending to hold it down.Thus the tendency to jump may befsubstantially halved, and if the wheelonce gets as far as the wheel |08 in Figure 7, A

there is no longer any effective tendency to rise.

It is noted that, as clearly indicated in Figure 7, the wheels are farenough apart so that they do not interfere with each other in permittingthe flexible grip illustrated in Figures 11 and 12. The wheel H8 inFigure 7 is indicated in substantially the position of the other wheelof a truck 'including the wheels |08 and ||8, and by the time the wheel|08 is in register with the next rocker, the wheel I8 will also be inregister with the second rocker beyond, so that the diagrams of Figures11 and 12 apply with equal validity to both wheels at all times.

Without further elaboration the foregoing will sc fully explain myinvention that others may readily adapt the same for use under variousconditions of service. It will, for instance. be obvious that operationwithout retardation from point I0 in Figure 1 clear through to theretarders on the individual tracks I6 may be practiced with any type ofretarding mechanism. Also that the control for the retarders on theindividual tracks may be the manual control of an experienced operatorbased on his judgment; or that automatic g control means sensitive toboth the weight and speed of the approaching cars may be placed atpositions 20, 26 and 30. Such control means may, for instance, beaccording to United States Patent 1,626,920 issued May 3, 1927, to J. P.Coleman, or any of various other automatic control mechanismsalreadyknown to the art. The use of such control mechanisms at the pointsdesignated is included in the present invention.

I claim:

1.- Car retarding equipment of the type comprising, pairs of opposingshoes adjacent each rail along a predetermined length of track; theshoes of each pairbeing guided in movement toward and away from eachother to grip'and rub on a wheel on the rail between them; and aplurality of spring means, each acting independently, at a plurality ofuniformly spaced points along said shoes; in which said shoe isconstructed and arranged to have a strength and rigidity in a verticalplane much greater than that in the plane of spring thrust, andsuflicient to carry the weight of the wheel of a loaded car; said shoebeing sufficiently flexible in the plane of spring thrust'to cause thepressure against the wheel to be concentrated at two spaced points atthe edges of the wheel and substantially eliminated at pointsintermediate between said points of concentration; the first springmeans at the inlet end of said equipment being adjusted to exert forcesmaterially less than those exerted by the rest of the spring means; saidshoes and spring means for each rail being in transverse alignmentabreast of those for the other rail.

2. Car retarding equipment of the type comprising, pairs of opposingshoes adjacent each rail along a predetermined length of track; theshoes of each pair' being guided in movement toward and away from eachother to grip and rub'on a wheel on the rail between them; and aplurality of spring means, each acting independently, at a plurality ofuniformly spaced points along said shoes: in which said shoe is a singlecontinuous member having a strength and rigidity in a vertical planemuch greater than that in the plane oi spring thrust, and suiiicient tocarry the weight of the wheel of a loaded car; said r shoe beingsuiiiciently iiexible in the plane of spring thrust to cause thepressure against the wheel to be concentrated at two spaced points attheedges of the wheel and substantially eliminated at points intermediatebetween said points of concentration.

3. Car retarding equipment of the type comprising, a pair of opposingshoes adjacent a rail along a predetermined length of track; said shoesbeing guided in movement toward and away from each other to grip and rubon a wheel on the rail between them; and a plurality of spring meanaeachacting independently, at a plurality of uniformly spaced points alongsaid shoes: in which each said shoe is a single continuous membersufliciently flexible in the plane i the wheel to be concentrated at twospaced points at the edges of the wheel and substantially elimirailbetween them; and a plurality ot spring means, each actingindependently, at a plurality ofspaced points along said shoes: in whicheach of said shoes is sufficiently flexible in the plane of springthrust to cause the pressure against the wheel to be concentrated at twospaced points at the edges of the wheel and substantially eliminated atpoints intermediate between said points of concentration; thelongitudinal distance between said spring means being greater than thedistance between said points of concentration and not more than twothirds of the distance between the wheel axles of a railroad car truck.

5. Car retarding equipment of the type comprising, pairs of opposingshoes adjacent each rail along a predetermined length of track; theshoes of each pair being guided in movement toward and away from eachother to grip and rub on a wheel on the rail between them; and aplurality of spring means, each acting independently, at a plurality ofspaced points along said shoes: in which said shoe is suiiicien-tlyflexible in the plane of spring thrust to cause the pressure against thewheel to be concentrated at two spaced points at the edges of the wheeland substantially eliminated at points intermediate be tween said pointsof concentration. 1

6. Car retarding equipment comprising, in combination with the rails androad bed of a railroad track: a plurality of pressure units uniformlyspaced along one of said rails; each unit comprising an upwardly openinghousing set into said road bed andextending across under said rail; apair of rockers supported in and extending above said housing onopposite sides of said rail; said rockers terminating at their lowerends 'in trunnions having horizontal axes; said housing having opensockets positioned to receive said trunnions in freely removablerelationship:

nated at points intermediate between said points along a predeterminedlength of track; said shoes being guided in movement toward and awayfrom each other to grip and rub on a wheel on the each rocker having aface plate at its upper end; said face plates extending above the levelof said rail: a tension boltz said rockers being apertured to receivesaid bolt: said bolt passing through said apertures andextending beyondthe same at both ends; an abutment on one end of said bolt facing towardthe adjacent rocker: a compression spring acting between said abutmentand rocker: take up means connected to the other end of said bolt andengaging the other rocker for moving said other rocker away from saidother bolt end: said take up means comprising: a bent lever of the firstclass having pivotal connection at its elbow with said bolt end: one armof said lever having a cam face positioned to engage and move saidrocker awav from said bolt end: means for adjusting the eiective lengthof said bolt hy moving said abutment longitudinally of said bolt; aninner ilegible shoe extending longitudinallv along the inner side ofsaid rail and past all said pressure units and connected to the upperends of all the rockers inside said rail; an outer flexible shoeextending longitudinally along the outer side of said rail. and past allsaid pressure units and connected to the upper ends of all the rockersoutside said rail: both said shoes extending above the level of saidrail; said outer shoe extending to a lower level than said inner shoe:said springs being positioned outside said rail and said levers beingpositioned inside said rail: a second set of pressure units and shoesalong the other rail; the pressure units of. the second set being intransverse alignment abreast of the rst set: the levers of the secondset being positioned inside said other rail: means in the nature of asingle central drawbar extending longi- 7 tudinally past the ends of allsaid levers for actuating all the levers of both sets of pressure unitssimultaneously, to precondition said equipment so that the entry of oneormore car wheels between said shoes will separate said shoes andcompress said springs to a predetermined degree; and anti-rattle springsencircling at least some of said bolts for each pair of shoes andpressing against said rockers to hold said shoes at least partly openand in position to receive an entering wheel.

7. Car retarding equipment comprising, in combination with the rails androad bed of a railroad track: a plurality of pressure units uniformlyspaced along one of said rails; each unit comprising an upwardly openinghousing set into said road bed and extending across under said rail; apair of rockers supported in and extending above said housing onopposite sides f said rail; said rockers terminating attheir lower endsin trunnions having horizontal axes; said housing having open lsocketspositioned to receive said trunnions in freely removable relationship;each rocker having a face plate at its upper end; said face platesextending above the level of said rail; a tension bolt; said rockersbeing apertured to receive said bolt; said bolt passing through saidapertures and extending beyond the same at both ends; an abutment on oneend of said bolt facing toward the adjacent rocker; a compression springacting between said abutment and rocker; take up means connected to theother end of said bolt and engaging the other rocker for moving saidother rocker away from said other bolt end; said take up meanscomprising: a'lever having pivotal connection with said bolt end; onearm of said lever having a cam face positioned to engage and move saidrocker away from said bolt end; means for adjusting the effective lengthof said bolt by moving said abutment longitudinally of said bolt; aninner exible shoe extending longitudinally along the inner side of saidrail and past all said pressure units and connected to the upper ends ofall the rockers inside said rail; an outer iiexible shoe extendinglongitudinally along the outer side of said rail and past all saidpressure units and connected to the upper ends of all the rockersoutside said rail; both said shoes extending above the level of saidrail; said outer shoev extending to a lower level than said inner shoe;said springs being positioned outside said rail and said levers beingpositioned inside said rail; a second set of pressure units and shoesalong the other rail; the pressure units of the second set being intransverse alignment abreast of the first set, the levers of the secondset being positioned inside said other rail; and means in the nature ofa single central drawbar extending longitudinally past the ends of allsaid levers; for actuating all the levers of both sets of pressure unitssimultaneously to precondition said equipment so that the entry of oneor more car wheels between said shoes will separate said shoes andcompress said springs to a predetermined degree.

8. Car retarding equipment comprising, in combination with the rails androad bed of a railroad track: a plurality of pressure units uniformlyspaced along one of said rails; each unit comprising a support extendingacross under said rail; a pair of rockers supported by and extendingabove said support on opposite sides of said rail; said rockers beingmovable on said support about horizontal axes passing near their lowerends; each rocker at its upper end extending above the level of saidrail; a tension bolt; said rockers being apertured to receive said bolt;said bolt passing through said apertures and extending beyond the sameat both ends; an abutment on one end of said bolt facing toward theadjacent rocker; a compression spring acting between said abutment androcker; take up means connected to the other end of said bolt andengaging the other rocker for moving said other rocker away from saidother bolt end; said take up means comprising: a cam positioned toengage and move said rocker away from said bolt end; means for adjustingthe effective length of said bolt by moving said abutment longitudinallyof said bolt; an inner iiexible shoe extending longitudinally along theinner side of said rail and past all said pressure units and connectedto the upper ends of all the rockers inside said rail; an outer iiexibleshoe extending longitudinally along the outer side of said rail and pastall said pressure units and connected to the upper ends of alltherockers outside said rail; both said shoes extending above the levelof said rail; said outer shoe extending to a lower level than said innershoe; said springs Ibeing positioned outside said rail and said leversbeing positioned inside said rail; a second set of pressure units andshoes along the other rail; the pressure units of the second set beingin transverse alignment abreast of the first set, the levers of thesecond set being positioned inside said other rail; and means in'cludinga single central drawbar extending longitudinally past said pressureunita for actuating all the cams of both sets of pressure unitssimultaneously.

9. .Car retarding equipment comprising,y in combination with the railsand road bed of a railroad track; a plurality of pressure units spacedalong one of said rails; each unit comprising a support; a pair ofrockers pivotally supported by and extending above said support onopposite sides of said rail; a tension bolt; said rockers beingapertured to receive said bolt; said bolt passing through said aperturesand extending beyond the same at both ends; an abutment on one end ,ofsaid bolt facing toward the end of the adjacent rocker; a compressionspring acting between said abutment and rocker; take up means connectedto the other end of said bolt and engaging the other rocker for movingsaid other rocker away from said other bolt end; said take up meanscomprising: a cam positioned to engage and move said rocker away fromsaid bolt end; means for adjusting the effective length of said bolt;friction shoes along the inner and outer sides of said rail supported bysaid rockers; and means extending past said pressure units for actuatingall the cams of said pressure units simultaneously; said cam beingshaped for uniform continuousl displacement throughout its range ofmovement.

10. Car retarding equipment comprising, in combination with the railsand road bed of a railroad track; a plurality of pressure units spacedalong one of said rails; each unit comprising a pair of rockers onopposite sides of said rail; said rockers being pivoted about horizontalaxes below the level of said rail; a transverse tension connectoradjacent said rockers and eX- tending laterally beyond the same at bothends; an abutment on one end of said connector facing toward theadjacent rocker; a compression spring acting between said abutment androcker; and takeup means connected to the other end of said connectorand engaging the other rocker for moving said other rocker away fromsaid other connector end; said takeup means comprising a cam positionedto engage and move said rocker away from said connector end; brake shoescarried by said rockers; and means for actuating said cams; said camsbeing shaped for substantially uniform continuous displacementthroughout their range of movement.

11. A shoe for car retarders having an upper tread section of horizontaldimension less than the width of the rail head and vertical dimensiongreater than its horizontal dimension; and a downwardly extending webintegral with said tread portion and of vertical dimension substantiallythe same as said tread portion and horizontal dimension not greater thanhalf said tread portion; and pressure means for applying localizedpressure at spaced points along said shoe, saidpoints being spaced apartby more than the diameter of a railroad wheel; said shoe being supportedat said pressure points only and devoid of any stiiening reinforcementagainst iiexure under load; said shoe being sufciently flexible in thehorizontal plane to cause the pressure against the wheel to beconcentrated at two spaced points at the edges of the wheel andsubstantially eliminated at points intermediate between said points of'concentration.

12. A shoe for car retarders having an upper tread section of horizontaldimension less than the width of the rail head and vertical dimensiongreater than its horizontal dimension; and a downwardly extending webintegral with said tread portion and of vertical dimension substantiallythe same as said tread portion and horizontalv dimension not greaterthan half said tread portion; and pressure means for applying localizedpressure at spaced points along said shoe, said points being spacedapart by more than the diameter of a railroad wheel; the maximumhorizontal dimension of said head being not more than two inches; andthe distance between successive pressure points being not less thanthirty inches; said shoe being suiiiciently flexible in the horizontalplane to cause the pressure against the wheel to be concentrated at twospaced points at the edges of the wheel and substantially eliminated atpoints intermediate between said points of concentration.

13. A combination according to claim 11 in which said means for applyinglocalized pressure is constructed and arranged to permit the shoe, atthe point where pressure is applied, to rotate by its own distortionabout a vertical axis into diierent angular positions, whereby theflexing action proceeds with each wheel along the length of the shoewithout abrupt discontinuities of action.

14. A combination according to claim 13 in which said means for applyinglocalized pressure comprises a series of downwardly extending levers;each lever having its upper end fastened to said shoe; each lever havinga pintle at its lower end; a xed open socket for each lever into whichsaid pintle may be dropped; whereby said shoe and lever assembly as awhole floats on said pintles without other guiding support; each le- I.combination with the rails and road bed, of a railrod track; aplurality of pressure units uniformly spaced along one of said rails;each unit comprising an upwardly opening housing set into said road bedand extending across under said t one of said rockers between saidabutment and said rail; a compression spring acting between saidabutment and rocker; takeup means connected to the other end of saidtension connector and engaging the other rocker for moving said otherrocker away from said takeup means; said takeup means comprising: a bentlever of the rst class having a pivot connection at its elbow with Saidconnector; one arm of said lever having a cam face positioned to engageand move said rocker away from said pivot; means for adjusting theeffective length of said connector by moving said abutment; an innerexible shoe extending longitudinally along the inner side of said railand past all said pressure units and connected to the upper ends of allthe rockers inside said rail; an outer exible shoe extendinglongitudinally along the outer side of said rail, and past all saidpressure units and connected to the upper ends of all the rockersinsidesaid rail; an outer exible shoe extending longitudinally along theouter side of said rail, and past all said pressureunits and connectedto the upper ends of all the rockers outside said rail; both said shoesextending above the level of said rail; said outer shoe extending to alower level than said inner shoe; said springs being positioned outsidesaid rail and said levers being positioned inside said rail; a secondset of pressure units and shoes along the other rail; the pressure unitsof the second set being in transverse alignment abreast of the rst set;the levers of the second set being positioned insidesaid other rail;means in the nature of a single central drawbar extending longitudinallypast the ends of all said levers for actuating all the levers of bothsets of pressure units simultaneously, to precondition said equipment sothat the entry of one or more car wheels between said shoes willseparate said shoes and compress said springs to a predetermined degree;and relatively light springs operatively connected to hold said shoes atleast partly open and in position to receive an entering wheel.

16. Car retarding equipment comprising, in combination with the railsand road bed of a railroad track: a plurality of pressure unitsuniformly spaced along one of said rails; each unit comprising anupwardly opening housing set into said road bed and extending acrossunder said rail; a pair of rockers supported in and extending above saidhousing on opposite sides of said rail; said rockers terminating attheir lower ends in trunnions having horizontal axes; said housinghaving open sockets positioned to receive said trunnions in freely.removable relationship; each rocker having a face plate at its upperend; said face plates extending above the level of said rail; a tensionconnector also extending on opposite sides of said rails; an abutment onsaid connector near one end thereof facing toward said rail with one ofsaid rockers between said abutment and said rail; a compression springacting between said abutment and rocker; takeup means conextendinglongitudinally along the inner. side of said rail and past. all therockers inside said rail; an outer flexible shoe extendinglongitudinally along the outer side of said rail, and past all saidpressure units and connected to the upper ends of all the rockers.outside said rail; both said shoes extending above the level of saidrail; said outer shoe extending to a lower level than said inner shoe;said springs being positioned outside said rail and said levers beingpositioned inside said rail; a second set of pressure units and shoesalong the other rail; the pressure units of the second set being intransverse alignment abreast 'of the rst set; the levers of thesecondsetbeing positioned inside said other rail; means in the nature of asingle central drawbar extending longitudinally past the ends of allsaid levers for actuating all the levers of both sets of pressure unitssimultaneously, to precondition said equipment so that the entry of oneor more car wheels between said shoes will separate said shoes andcompress lsaid springs to a predetermined degree.

17. Car retarding equipment comprising, in combination with the railsand road bed of a railroad track: a lplurality of pressure unitsuniformly spaced along one of said rails; each unit comprising anupwardly opening housing set into said road bed and extending acrossunder said rail; a pair of rockers supported in and extending above saidhousing on opposite sides of said rail; said rockers terminating attheir lower ends in trunnions having horizontal axes; said housinghaving open sockets positioned to receive said trunnions in freelyremovable relationship; each rocker having a face plate at its upperend; said face plates extending above the level of said rail; a tens1onconnector also extending on opposite sides of said rail; an abutment onsaid connector near one end thereof facing toward said rail with one ofsaid rockers between said abutment and said rail; a compression springacting between said abutment and rocker; takeup means connected to theother end of said tension connector and engaging the other rocker formoving said other rocker away from said takeup means; said takeup meanscomprising: a bent lever of the l first class having a pivot connectionat its elbow with said connector; one arm of said lever having a camface positioned to engage and move said rocker away from said pivotmeans for adjusting the effective length of said connectorby moving saidabutment; an inner exible shoe extending longitudinally along the innerside of said rail and past all said pressure units and connected to theupper ends of all the rockers inside said rail; an outer ilexible shoeextending longitudinally along the outer side of said rail, and past allsaid pressure units and connected to the upper ends of all the rockersoutside said rail; both said shoes extending above the level of saidrail; said outer shoe extending to a lower level than said inner shoe;said springs being posisitioned outside said rail and said levers beingthe pressure units of the second set being in transverse alignmentabreast of the iirst set; the levers of the second set being positionedinside said other rail; and means in the nature of a single centraldrawbar extending longitudinally past the ends of all said levers foractuating all the levers of both sets of pressure units simultaneously.

18. Car retarding equipment comprising, in combination with the railsand road bed of a railroad track: a plurality of pressure units spacedalong one of said rails; each unit comprising a pair of rockers onopposite sides of said rail; said rockers being pivoted about horizontalaxes below the level of said rail; a transverse tension connectoradjacent said rockers and extending laterally beyond the same at bothends; an abutment on one end of said connector facing toward theadjacent rocker; a compression spring acting between said abutment androcker; and takeup means connected to the other end of said connectorand engaging the other rocker for moving said other rocker away fromsaid other conon small concentrated areas at the edges of a standard carwheel without load bearing contact elsewhere, in spite of the usualsurface irregularities in such wheels.

20. A shoe according to claim 19 having strength under vertical loadsufcient to carry the weight of the wheel of a freight car over a36-inch span.

21. A shoe according to claim 19 in which the shoe is not less thantwice as strong and not less than five times as stiff under verticalbending load as under horizontal bending load.

22. A shoe according to claim 19 having an upper portion of greaterthickness than its lower portion, said upper portion protruding topresent Ha rubbing surface to a car wheel.

GEORGE C. BELTMAN.

-REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,157,622 FrankOct. 19, 1915 1,576,623 Barr Mar. 16, 1926 1,612,865 Hannauer et al Jan.4, 1927 1,899,899 Morgan Feb. 28, 1933 1,906,359 Begley et al. May 2,1933 2,045,695 Brown June 30, 1936 2,081,901 Brown June 1, 19372,129,301 Bone Sept..6, 1938. 2,139,324 Abeloos Dec. 6, 1938 2,190,073Knudsen Feb. 13, 1940 2,263,244 McGowan Nov. 18, 1941 2,393,146 Clark 1/Jan. 15, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 229,402 Great BritainFeb. 23, 1925

